Marr Sound Archives Miller Nichols Library University of Missouri, Kansas City Harold Ashby Collection SIZE: 4.75 linear feet DATE RANGE: ACQUISITION: ACCESS: This is a non-circulation collection. Listening stations are available in the archives. COPYRIGHT: Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be discussed with the Special Collections Librarian or other authorized agent. ACCEPTED BY: PROCESSED BY: Mariah Simpson SUPERVISING ARCHIVIST: Kelley Martin BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: Harold Kenneth Ashby was born March 27, 1925, in Kansas City, Missouri, the last of six children of Herbert Ashby and Anna Lewis. He began playing saxophone and clarinet at an early age and was a protégé of jazz tenor saxophonist Ben Webster, also a Kansas City native. Raised and educated in his hometown, Ashby graduated from R.T. Coles Junior High in 1938 and Lincoln High School two years later, where he was the recipient of the Service Award of the Department of Music in 1939. He graduated from Lincoln Junior College in 1942 and was inducted into the United States Navy the following year. After his honorable discharge in December 1945, Ashby returned to Kansas City to play music. In the 1950s Ashby moved to Chicago, playing in various bands, often in an R&B or blues-based style. While in Chicago, he played and recorded with Willie Dixon, Jimmy Witherspoon, Memphis Slim, Chuck Berry and Otis Rush. In 1957 he moved to New York to work with, among others, Mercer Ellington. Through that association, Ashby received work from Mercer's father, Duke Ellington, and gained the respect of many of Duke's current and former sidemen. From the late 1950s through the mid 1960s, Ashby recorded with Ben Webster, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves and Lawrence Brown. In 1968, Ashby became a permanent member of the Duke Ellington band and small groups, and his role progressively grew as the band toured across the country and around the world. Following Ellington's death in 1974, Ashby continued to perform at concerts and festivals around the world, such as the 1985 Nice Festival, as well as with aggregates of the Duke Ellington band, including the orchestra under Mercer's direction. In addition, Ashby worked with Sy Oliver and Benny Goodman; did tours in Europe, including those with Junior Mance and Kansas City jazz pianist Jay McShann; and recorded under his own name during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Marr Sound Archives Miller Nichols Library University of Missouri, Kansas City Ashby's final performance was on September 14, 2002, at the Folly Theatre in Kansas City, where he was featured with Bobby Watson and the Duke's Men. Ashby died June 13, 2003, in New York at age 78. COLLECTION DESCRIPTION: Contains interviews with Duke Ellington band members, live recordings of performances around the world, recordings of the Sacred Concert Performance at the National Presbyterian Church in 1970, recordings of rehearsals, radio broadcasts, recordings of Harold Ashby performing with many other jazz musicians, performances of musicians such as Ben Webster, Jay McShann, Randy Yonk, Jim Galloway, Johnny Hodges, Buddy Tate, Rufus Reid, Emma Jean, Connie Day, Richard Wyand, Dick Katz, Roland Kirk, Paul Gonsalves, Tim Price, Willie Mabon, Bucky Hound, Lucky Thompson, Reggie Johnson, Ross Shneider, Phil Flanagan, Claude Williams. COLLECTION DETAIL: 06/11/83 Side 1- Dick Katz and Harold Ashby HA-CASS-001 N/D Vocalist Joe Jones commercially released HA-CASS-002 recording. 01/10/81 Neat Simplicity: Piano, John Bunch; Bass, Peck Morrison; Drums, Ronnie Cole; Sax, Harold HA-CASS-003 Ashby. 08/12/79 Bunch, Ashby, Harrell, Pemberton, Kay HA-CASS-004 N/D Roy Haynes/Ronald Kirk – Out of the Afternoon; Copy commercial LPs **Held at HA-CASS-005 Marr 05/02/83 Richard Wyands, Reggie Johnson HA-CASS-006 Keep Steppin’, Neat N/D Major Holley, Connie Kay, Harold Ashby, HA-CASS-007 Richard Wyands Lullaby for Ben 04/26/81 Peck Morrison, Richard Wyands, Harold Ashby; Side A: Scuffing, All of Me, It Don’t Mean a HA-CASS-008 Thing, You are Beautiful, Jumping the Blues; Side B: Three Little Words, A Train, Satin Doll N/D Soul of Ben Webster copy of commercial LP HA-CASS-009 **Held at Marr 3/27/95 Ashby interviewed by Phil Schaap on WKCR for HA-CASS-010 his 70th birthday celebration. 07/11/86 Concert Newport Jazz Festival Allstars in concert at Montauban HA-CASS-011 Harold Ashby/Guy LaFitte; Jay McShann, Eddie Jones, Gus Johnson. 12/19/00 Ashby studio recording with false starts HA-CASS-012 Marr Sound Archives Miller Nichols Library University of Missouri, Kansas City Lucky Thompson commercial recordings HA-CASS-013 N/D Copy of his 1989 release Viking Side A Viking Side B Tasty, Solitude, Rose Room, Simplicity HA-CASS-014 10/05/85 Harold Ashby, Booty Wood, Jim Galloway Toronto Alive – CKFM air check HA-CASS-015 Digital Copy Available HA-CD-143 N/D Claude Williams – Swing Time in New York HA-CASS-016 Copy of CD **Held at Music/Media N/D Home recording of Ashby playing one song solo HA-CASS-017 07/17/85 Interview with Harold Ashby HA-CASS-018 05/15/86 Suite Montauban HA-CASS-019 Newport All Stars, Hotel Meridien, Paris N/D Various Duke Ellington recording issued for HA-CASS-020 members of the Duke Ellington Music Society N/D Side A – Tasty Solitude, Rose Room HA-CASS-021 Side B – Viking Cassette of Viking recording. N/D Ashby, Joe Jones, Peck Morrison, Richard HA-CASS-022 Wynands Live recording side B only. N/D Tape from answering machine. HA-CASS-023 04/25/99 Documentary about Duke Ellington on CBC HA-CASS-024 Radio Toronto 03/06/81 Ashby interview, KUAT-FM, Tucson, Arizona HA-CASS-025 Produced by Paul Rubin 03/13/80 Oral history with Ashby by Valerie Archer, New HA-CASS-026 York N/D Harlem WKCR Side A – Bob Porter, Portraits in Blue, Willie HA-CASS-027 Mabon Side B Live concert N/D Slaves to the Rhythm Radio GBC Gibraltar, Modern Jazz Quartet and Harold Ashby featured HA-CASS-028 in concert at the Seville Festival. N/D Ashby, Al Grey and others in concert. HA-CASS-029 9/5/87 Jazz at Jim Dunn’s feat. John Bunch, Connie Kay, Randy Sandke, Jack Stuckey, George Mraz, Harold Ashby and Chris Flory. HA-CASS-030 Side A Undecided, It’s You or No one for Me, Poor Marr Sound Archives Miller Nichols Library University of Missouri, Kansas City Butterfly, Rosetta Side B Stardust, I Got It Bad, What’s New, Mellow Tone, I Found A New Baby, Slow Boat to China, Sophisticated Lady N/D Tenor Saxophonist Tim Price and group HA-CASS-031 N/D Tim Price and Ashby in concert. HA-CASS-032 03/2795 Interview with Harold Ashby on WKCUR on his HA-CASS-033 70th birthday. 10/12/91 Yank, Snooky, Bucky Howard HA-CASS-034 N/D Ashby with organ playing Black and Blue HA-CASS-035 Honeysuckle Rose N/D The Best of Harold Ashby 1948-1978 HA-CASS-036 05/02/78 Ashby with Cat’s Cast HA-CASS-037 Villeneuve N/D Bennie Wallace and Paul Gonuali recorded live HA-CASS-038 03/27/95 Carribean Magazine No. 95/08 HA-CASS-039 08/13/82 Ashby, Richard Wyands, Reggie Johnson HA-CASS-040 Live at Defemio’s 08/14/82 Ashby, Richard Wyands, Reggie Johnson HA-CASS-041 Live at Defemio’s N/D Kenny Davern from CD Mood Indigo **Held at HA-CASS-042 Music/media 02/08/81 Saturday Night HA-CASS-043 Richard Wyands, Phil Flanagan, Joe Jones N/D Side A: Paul Up Jump; Side B: Harold Up Jump HA-CASS-044 03/27/95 Ashby WKCUR HA-CASS-045 N/D Sunny Side, unidentified club recording HA-CASS-046 02-27 All of Me, Undecided, Sunny Gets Blue, Keep HA-CASS-047 Stepping, Earma Jean 05/27/83 Richard Wyands, Reggie Johnson HA-CASS-048 Live at the Defemio 05/27/83 Richard Wyands, Reggie Johnson HA-CASS-049 Live at the Defemio 85-86 Newport All Stars, Limoge, France HA-CASS-050 N/D Side A Manila Singing HA-CASS-051 Side B Harlem N/D Black and Blue HA-CASS-052 N/D What Am I Here For HA-CASS-053 N/D Unidentified female vocalist in club. HA-CASS-054 1992 Forlorn (Dedicated to Billy Strayhorn) Another Winter Night Alone HA-CASS-055 Cassette of two tunes by Ross Schneider sent to Marr Sound Archives Miller Nichols Library University of Missouri, Kansas City Ashby N/D Ashby playing I Can’t Get Started. HA-CASS-056 N/D Ashby playing Just Squeeze Me and a trio HA-CASS-057 playing one other tune. 1994 New Year’s Chicago HA-CASS-058 1987 Ellington Dynasty HA-CASS-059 02/28/81 Ashby Quartet practice tape HA-CASS-060 N/D Ashby quartet in concert HA-CASS-061 N/D Recording of LP “Soul of Ben Webster” **Held HA-CASS-062 at Marr N/D Unidentified vibes player from LP (probably HA-CASS-063 Milt Jackson) N/D Lucky Thompson Milt Jackson recorded live. HA-CASS-064 03/27/95 70th Birthday salute to Harold Ashby from Phil HA-CASS-065 Schapp N/D Ashby scat singing a couple of numbers. HA-CASS-066 N/D Ellen Martin Sophisticated Lady, Fever, More Than You HA-CASS-067 Know N/D Big Joe Turner, Russ Andres HA-CASS-068 01/21/93 Live Broadcast feat. Harold Ashby, Curtis Fuller, Spanky Davis, Lou Stein, Eddie Yolks?, Louis HA-CASS-069 Bellson 1997 Ashby, Snooky Young, Pete Condoli, HA-CASS-070 Ralph Sutton N/D Recording of television program with talking in HA-CASS-071 the background.